• StudSpud The Starchy@aussie.zone
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    3 months ago

    Between 1400 and 1700, English went through a major vowel shift that changed the way words were pronounced. The pronunciation of Middle English long vowels changed into how we pronounce them today/has affected English worldwide, and well as consotant changes (silent letters come from this, knife used have the k pronounced, and this can actually still be heard in German as well. Kneipe (German for pub/bar), for eg, is pronounced with the k).

    Example, in Middle English the word “house” was pronounced hu:s “hoos”. With the Great Vowel Shift it changed to haʊs “howse”.

    • Catfish@aussie.zone
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      3 months ago

      I love Middle English. It can look like gibberish at first, but pretend to be drunk & Scottish 98% of it works. The other words are probably Danish.

      • StudSpud The Starchy@aussie.zone
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        3 months ago

        My favourite pic displaying the evolution. Middle English is still almost parsable, but old english is basically old German haha

        Also the change of implication. In middle English, God sets one down in the pasture, King James says God makes one lie in pastures, but Modern has God allows one to lay in the pasture.

        And the change of feohland to pasture. I love this stuff so fucking much.

        • Catfish@aussie.zone
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          3 months ago

          I love side by side versions like those! (I did send you that book link?) it makes the changes and similarities so obvious 😺 language is fun.